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I remember using the phrase, 'girl-next-door beauty' in a script and someone chewed me out for it, partially because he didn't understand the phrase. I tried explaining it...
There are different ways to say that a woman is attractive/beautiful. I compared Kirsten Dundst and Denise Richards in the movie 'Drop Dead Gorgeous.' The two are beautiful in their own way, though I wouldn't describe Denise as girl-next-door beauty.
Describing a woman as beautiful is too vague. It's like describing a guy as big.
So the goal, in that initial character description, I think, is to find a handful of words that project that initial sense that an audience would get when they first see the character. Not simply [her] physicality, but how that physicality translates into a sense of character.
Quoted from dogglebe
There are different ways to say that a woman is attractive...
But how to do it?
Here are a few women from films you may recognize; these girls are attractive, sure, but you get much more than that when we first "meet" them:
Quoted from Rachel, from Blade Runner
No woman can be all things to all men, though RACHEL comes closer than most. The only trouble is she's all business. Formidable without really trying. Some beauty is better avoided and Deckard looks straight ahead.
Quoted from Buttercup, from Princess Bride
BUTTERCUP is in her late teens; doesn't care much about clothes and she hates brushing her long hair, so she isn't as attractive as she might be, but she's still probably the most beautiful woman in the world.
Quoted from Carolyn, from American Beauty
CAROLYN BURNHAM tends her rose bushes in front of the Burnham house. A very well-put together woman of forty, she wears color-coordinated gardening togs and has lots of useful and expensive tools.
Each of these contain what are arguably "unfilmable" elements that nevertheless translate wonderfully to the screen -- but in the form of tone, and spirit.
If it is done right -- and yes, it can be done wrong -- a small dollop of unfilmable can speak volumes about your character. You should not be afraid to use it sparingly.
The caveat here is that one needs to learn the difference. People who tell you never may be well-meaning, but they are mistaken.
Y'know, it's kinda funny that no female writers have joined this thread, yet. (Until now - and Heretic's avatar not-withstanding.) Come on Pia, Dena and Breanne - get in here!
1) I agree: NAME (36), beautiful despite her age is pretty stupid.
2) There are a handful of female actresses that aren't great to look at (Melissa McCarthy being an example.)
3) But - men DO have an easier time being ugly and successful in the field. Hey, just look at Steve Buscemi, bless his heart and crooked teeth.
4) With my female characters, I tend to put in something about the way they dress or carry themselves that helps reflect their personality. (Like - "black tank and shorts...a goth ensemble, trying hard to look tough.) Though, I'm not above calling them cute or attractive, too. Which I'm admittedly a *little* less likely to do with the men. Though, come to think of it, the only time I really went out of my way to call characters attractive was in a rom-com...so that was definitely justified....
The very first contest that I entered I basically got ripped over writing physical descriptions instead of personality. The reader wanted to know WHO they were, not what they looked like.
Since then I've tried to cut back on the looks side and add a couple of words that would be more about their personality. This is for both men and women. As Bert said though, it can be done wrong and I think I still need work to perfect this. Thanks for the examples. I might look back on these from time to time.
Researching it, it would seem that even though it is unfilmable to add personality, it is still good to include something. It not only informs the director/producer a little bit about the character but also lets the actor know how they are saying their intial lines. Some lines are pretty much standard while others may have various tones.
Y'know, it's kinda funny that no female writers have joined this thread, yet. (Until now - and Heretic's avatar not-withstanding.) Come on Pia, Dena and Breanne - get in here!
1) I agree: NAME (36), beautiful despite her age is pretty stupid.
2) There are a handful of female actresses that aren't great to look at (Melissa McCarthy being an example.)
3) But - men DO have an easier time being ugly and successful in the field. Hey, just look at Steve Buscemi, bless his heart and crooked teeth.
4) With my female characters, I tend to put in something about the way they dress or carry themselves that helps reflect their personality. (Like - "black tank and shorts...a goth ensemble, trying hard to look tough.) Though, I'm not above calling them cute or attractive, too. Which I'm admitted a *little* less likely to do with the men. Though, come to think of it, the only time I really went out of my way to call characters attractive was in a rom-com...so that was definitely justified....
Well, as one of the female contingent I'll weigh in. A lot of good points have been raised. Thing is if your female 'lead' isn't 'attractive', and I use that term broadly, then you wouldn't want to 'watch'/read.
Here's an example of a well known movie character:
Lisbeth Salander walks in: A small, pale, anorexic-looking waif in her early 20's. Short black dyed hair, pierced eyelid - tattoo of a wasp on her neck; probably several more under her black leather jacket - black t-shirt, black jeans, black Caterpillar boots.
Frode is only middingly successful in concealing his initial reaction to her. This isn't punk fashion. This is someone saying, Stay the fuck away from me.
Interesting that her character description is made more fully dimensional and better realised by another character commenting on her.
This is what I'd try to aim for, others observation of her, or as Bert said some 'unfilmable' aside to further create 'character' and an image of what the character looks like.
I'd never describe a character as just 'beautiful'. How boring.
It's interesting cause I've been trying to come up with a good character description for one of my women characters and wanted an 'edgy' description. First thing I thought of was the nose ring, tattoo, dyed blue hair etc. The character in Run Lola Run was generally what I was aiming for physically, i.e. has spunk, physically fit, take on men etc. but also determined, feisty, 'never say die' attitude. And therein lies the key.
Thing is all those characteristics sounded cliche'd to me. Every female has a tattoo this days - how to differentiate her from all the others? Not give her a tattoo, for one. When it comes down to it, that first line or couple of lines re her have to contain some essence of her personality as she relates to others and the story that follows.
She has to be 'attractive' though, in the most literal sense of the word i.e. not necessarily sexually alluring or pretty even, but appealing to the audience/reader.
This is a good subject, but I think in terms of describing character it's just as important to not describe your male character as some Mills & Boon rugged, square jawed romeo as well.
In general, 'ugly' men, or 'character' actors, as we've come to know them, just get a hell of a lot more opportunities to shine in movie roles than their plainer female counterparts. Is just the way of the world. Women's roles unless they're playing a 'type' of character the 'fat best friend' or 'ugly duckling' or 'plain funny girl' are required to be attractive or have a compelling personality trait... if not. But then they're the characters that are most interesting anyway.
It's essential imho, when we women are writing about women that we try to avoid stereotypes and write fully fleshed out characters. I don't want my characters to just be glorified 'handbags' to men.
Bette Davis and Joan Crawford had it pretty good. I don't think you get much of that these days. Maybe Meryl Streep, Kathy Bates, Sigourney Weaver come closest to it... oh, and Helen Mirren and Judy Dench!
I think it's not so bad... it's just up to us to write great female fully dimensional characters.
The very first contest that I entered I basically got ripped over writing physical descriptions instead of personality. The reader wanted to know WHO they were, not what they looked like.
Funny you should mention that.
Yeah, I'm trying to find it. There was this article, along with the video of a famous actor, who was commenting on what they look for when they read a script... as far as the character goes.
He said so many times we see stuff like this...
BLANK (40) handsome. And his reply, I don't know what that is or means, so I just skip that part. I wanna know something about my character, something I can work with. Anyway, he eventually called up a lawyer, because he was playing the part of one, and asked a few question...
One was this... "Did you always want to be a lawyer?" And the lawyer responded... "Oh God. No. I wanted to sing country music and play the guitar. So the actor ended up incorporating the guitar into his charater. The director loved it.
Anyway, it was a very interesting article. Hopefully I can find it.
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